Virtual labs combine technology resources, reusable software environments, and automation, along with tried and true training concepts, to enable hands-on training that can be delivered to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
Virtual labs use computers to provide “highly interactive virtual reality simulations of lab exercises."[1]
They provide cost saving alternatives to the traditional laboratory setting. Saving on equipment costs, maintenance, and the cost of specimens.
Advantages to using virtual labs:
“Hands On” – student should still be manipulating variables, making observations, and drawing conclusions.
Fulfills lab requirements.
Example of a virtual cat dissection.
Provides variety to curriculum.
Easy way to incorporate technology and use school resources.
Explores complex and difficult to observe concepts in a simpler way.
Great way to give students lab activities when they are home-bound due to illness or are chronically absent.
Management issues – to get all the computers set up and ready for use cuts into class time. If you have an IT person who doesn’t come from an education background, get to know them and learn as much as you can so that you don’t rely on them in case of a technology issue in class when they aren’t available to help. Be sensitive that they don’t always understand the time constraints and pressures related with teaching.
If students are sharing a computer, are they both involved or is one student taking control and the other off task?
Lack of immediate supervision and contact with teacher. Students might want to listen to music while working on the computer – this is a policy that needs to be determined by the teacher if the administration hasn’t already written a policy on that.
Experience of performing hands on experiment is greatly diminished, for example in Biology, the students don't do the actual fixing, staining, and sectioning for the slides. Also the students
An example of a virtual frog dissection.
do not develop the skills and practices to carefully handle specimens and chemicals.
Lack of servers that are not always in service.
New and recent versions may put earlier versions of virtual lab software out of commission.
When the virtual lab links to other websites, the links must be constantly checked for accuracy and continued existence.
Huge material on the web might be daunting to the students, especially when these labs link to the other websites.
Sometimes the websites might not be suitable for transnational and or even trans-cultural learners.
Preparing for a Virtual Lab
Plan for it! A virtual lab isn’t a free period: are you using the lab to introduce a topic, demonstrate a concept, or assess student understanding?
Scaffold the virtual lab! Introduce using the virtual lab as another way to experiment, explain and model the features students will manipulate, and have an associated assignment or handout.
Plan for discussion to make meaningful conclusions.
Key Elements
With context of training there are 4 key elements to virtual lab.
• The physical or virtual classroom (including self-paced students)
• The virtual lab management system
• Server-based repositories of software labs (instructor and student class loads)
• The infrastructure that supports training delivery (e.g. servers, storage, networking).
Myths
Myth #1: Computer Activities should replace all other Develop- mental Biology Labs because of their Educational Advantages
Myth #2: Virtual Labs are a New Phenomenon
Myth #3: Digital Labs save Money
Myth #4: Students require Edutainment to remain Engaged
Myth #5: Only Digital Labs are Interactive and Self- Directed[3]
Key things to look for in Virtual Labs Software
• Supports a wide range of software, starting from simple development tools to complex multi-tiered applications
• Complements LMS and web conferencing (virtual classroom) technologies gracefully
• Can articulate a vision of both training and technology, neither privileging nor
undermining either in the equation of delivering technical training
• Already has become aware of best practices and seems to be evolving to incorporate best practices into its software capabilities
• Offers flexible deployment options (a Wainhouse Research mantra but one worth repeating) that includes either service provider-hosting (typically in their data center) or packaged, enterprise-hosted versions
• Provides robust learner-oriented capabilities, such as the session Save and Restore capability, which allows learners to save their actions and changes over time while still leaving available the underlying lab resources to others. [4]
Summary
With the changing times several technologies have been incorporated for instruction in the classroom, but for best outcomes in learning it should be in coordination with the traditional practices. Same is true for virtual labs, in which the actual experience of performing the lab and handling specimen is lost. To have the best experience for the students there should be a balance between using a virtual lab and physical experience of labs in the class, so the students gain knowledge and experience from both mediums.
Table of Contents
What is a virtual lab?
Virtual labs combine technology resources, reusable software environments, and automation, along with tried and true training concepts, to enable hands-on training that can be delivered to anyone, anywhere, anytime.Virtual labs use computers to provide “highly interactive virtual reality simulations of lab exercises."[1]
They provide cost saving alternatives to the traditional laboratory setting. Saving on equipment costs, maintenance, and the cost of specimens.
Advantages to using virtual labs:
Challenges to using virtual labs:
- Availability of computers and internet access.
- Battery-life of laptops.
- Management issues – to get all the computers set up and ready for use cuts into class time. If you have an IT person who doesn’t come from an education background, get to know them and learn as much as you can so that you don’t rely on them in case of a technology issue in class when they aren’t available to help. Be sensitive that they don’t always understand the time constraints and pressures related with teaching.
- If students are sharing a computer, are they both involved or is one student taking control and the other off task?
- Lack of immediate supervision and contact with teacher. Students might want to listen to music while working on the computer – this is a policy that needs to be determined by the teacher if the administration hasn’t already written a policy on that.
- Experience of performing hands on experiment is greatly diminished, for example in Biology, the students don't do the actual fixing, staining, and sectioning for the slides. Also the students
An example of a virtual frog dissection.
do not develop the skills and practices to carefully handle specimens and chemicals. - Lack of servers that are not always in service.
- New and recent versions may put earlier versions of virtual lab software out of commission.
- When the virtual lab links to other websites, the links must be constantly checked for accuracy and continued existence.
- Huge material on the web might be daunting to the students, especially when these labs link to the other websites.
- Sometimes the websites might not be suitable for transnational and or even trans-cultural learners.
Preparing for a Virtual LabKey Elements
With context of training there are 4 key elements to virtual lab.• The physical or virtual classroom (including self-paced students)
• The virtual lab management system
• Server-based repositories of software labs (instructor and student class loads)
• The infrastructure that supports training delivery (e.g. servers, storage, networking).
Myths
Myth #1: Computer Activities should replace all other Develop- mental Biology Labs because of their Educational Advantages
Myth #2: Virtual Labs are a New Phenomenon
Myth #3: Digital Labs save Money
Myth #4: Students require Edutainment to remain Engaged
Myth #5: Only Digital Labs are Interactive and Self- Directed[3]
Key things to look for in Virtual Labs Software
• Supports a wide range of software, starting from simple development tools to complex multi-tiered applications
• Complements LMS and web conferencing (virtual classroom) technologies gracefully
• Can articulate a vision of both training and technology, neither privileging nor
undermining either in the equation of delivering technical training
• Already has become aware of best practices and seems to be evolving to incorporate best practices into its software capabilities
• Offers flexible deployment options (a Wainhouse Research mantra but one worth repeating) that includes either service provider-hosting (typically in their data center) or packaged, enterprise-hosted versions
• Provides robust learner-oriented capabilities, such as the session Save and Restore capability, which allows learners to save their actions and changes over time while still leaving available the underlying lab resources to others. [4]
Summary
With the changing times several technologies have been incorporated for instruction in the classroom, but for best outcomes in learning it should be in coordination with the traditional practices. Same is true for virtual labs, in which the actual experience of performing the lab and handling specimen is lost. To have the best experience for the students there should be a balance between using a virtual lab and physical experience of labs in the class, so the students gain knowledge and experience from both mediums.Additional Resources:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cityis.com%2Fassets%2Fdownloads%2Femergingvalueofvirtuallabs.pdf&rct=j&q=benefits%20of%20virtual%20labs&ei=8P_uTfuxIYODgAf1qJmVDw&usg=AFQjCNEFUGrtKKQNRoDb9WiW_DMcEOP7iw&sig2=8WiLt-t8k-P8_Y84kUaEMA
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCAQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ijdb.ehu.es%2Fweb%2Fcontents.php%3Fvol%3D47%26issue%3D2-3%26doi%3D12705675&rct=j&q=benefits%20of%20virtual%20labs&ei=8P_uTfuxIYODgAf1qJmVDw&usg=AFQjCNHhtWi8WgqXATFHoy7Sugb8Yat-qg&sig2=15ZiYE4FDyzrIorqesQ7aQ&cad=rja